Arenado exits with hand injury; X-rays negative

Third baseman gets hit by grounder, expects to play Friday vs. Brewers

By
Max GelmanMLB.com

DENVER -- Nolan Arenado exited Thursday's 10-4 loss to the Braves in the seventh inning after re-injuring his left hand.

Arenado attempted fielding a short-hop liner backhanded off the bat of Lane Adams, and the ball caromed off his glove into the air. He clutched his left hand, which he hurt Sunday in Miami when he was hit by a Vance Worley fastball.

DENVER -- Nolan Arenado exited Thursday's 10-4 loss to the Braves in the seventh inning after re-injuring his left hand.

Arenado attempted fielding a short-hop liner backhanded off the bat of Lane Adams, and the ball caromed off his glove into the air. He clutched his left hand, which he hurt Sunday in Miami when he was hit by a Vance Worley fastball.

X-rays taken after the game came back negative, Arenado said. Though his glove blunted some of the force, Arenado said he's still in pain.

"It just popped up on me and hit the same exact spot where I got drilled in Miami. It hurt," Arenado said. "It got real swollen, real quick. They thought it would be a good idea to get me out of there."

Manager Bud Black hadn't checked on Arenado before speaking to reporters postgame, but Arenado said he expected to play in Friday's opener against the Brewers. However, it will depend on the swelling on his hand, as Arenado said, "it's a little puffy right now."

Arenado has considered wearing padding to protect the bruise, but he doesn't want to alter his swing.

"If I have to change my swing, I'm not going to play. That's just not going to do the job," Arenado said. "I'll deal with the soreness, deal with the bruise, and go play. It doesn't hurt to swing or field, unless it hits in the same spot, like it did today."

Like Arenado, Black was slightly incredulous that the grounder happened to hit the same spot on his hand.

"Just like when a hitter gets hit with a pitch. ... Immediately you say, 'Oh no. Come on. Are you OK?'" Black said. "For precautionary reasons, Keith [Dugger, the head athletic trainer] wanted to get him in the dugout and get some ice on it."

Arenado finished Thursday 1-for-2 with a double and a walk. Ryan McMahon moved from first to third when Arenado left and Mark Reynolds came off the bench to fill McMahon's spot.